LeBron James reveals late Kobe Bryant gifting him his own sneakers as fondest moment

Late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and Lakers star LeBron James were said to have shared a close bond over their basketball legacy, which strengthened after James joined the Lakers in 2018. Before his tragic helicopter crash on January 26, Bryant's last social media posts were dedicated to James as he surpassed Bryant as the league's third all-time scorer. In his tribute to the Lakers legend after his death, James stated that he would continue Bryant's legacy. 

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LeBron James Kobe Bryant sneakers: LeBron James shares his fondest memory of Kobe Bryant

Following the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks in the USA, the NBA decided to pay their tributes to the victims. Players were asked to wear a patch on the American flag on their jerseys so they could extend their support to the nation. Bryant not only modified his jerseys, but also his sneakers.

The five-time NBA champion wore an American flag-themed sneaker made by Adidas (who he was signed with till 2002) for the 2001-02 NBA season. The shoes were rare as only 30 pairs were produced. The Kobe 2 'USA FLAG' design has the flag printed on it. 

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During an interview with ESPN, James revealed that his fondest moment with Bryant was when the Lakers legend gifted his shoes to him when he was in high school. At the time, James was playing in a tournament in Teaneck, New Jersey and were playing for the 2002 All-Star game in Philadelphia. James was given an opportunity to go and meet Bryant. He also said that he wore the shoes for his game against Oakland Hill with Carmelo Anthony as his opponent. Bryant was a part of the Western Conference, where he scored 31 points, five assists and five rebounds. The team won 135-120 and Bryant bagged the All-Star MVP award. 

James joined the NBA a few years later in 2003, the season after Bryant won his three-peat in 2002. Bryant played all twenty seasons for the Lakers while James played with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers before joining the Lakers in 2018, two years after Bryant retired. 

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LeBron James and Kobe Bryant friendship

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(Image source: LeBron James official Instagram)